MLB Betting Info - Thursday 5/12

Preview: Royals (16-17) at Yankees (13-19)


Game: 4
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: May 12, 2016 7:05 PM EDT


While the short-handed Kansas City Royals have started to show some life offensively, the New York Yankees' rash of injuries may be catching up to them.


The Royals haven't needed to score a ton of runs for Ian Kennedy.


The former Yankee will try to help Kansas City win back-to-back games for the first time in almost three weeks and earn a series split Thursday night in the Bronx.


Since totaling 16 runs and hitting .233 with two homers over an eight-game stretch, the Royals (16-17) scored 28 and hit .282 with 10 home runs in the past five. They've spent the past six without Mike Moustakas, who has a team-high seven long balls.


Salvador Perez set a positive tone Wednesday with a first-inning three-run homer, Lorenzo Cain stayed hot with two RBIs and Eric Hosmer added two hits in a 7-3 win that snapped a three-game losing streak. Cain is 11 for 25 over his last six and Hosmer is batting .362 with five homers and 11 RBIs in his past 16.


The Yankees (13-19) averaged 6.3 runs over the previous four games before finishing with seven hits and going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.


Mark Teixeira might help if he's able to return after missing his second straight game due to neck spasms. Jacoby Ellsbury isn't ready because of a strained hip that has cost him the past five and Alex Rodriguez is sidelined with a hamstring injury.


The Yankees will try to avoid settling for a split of this four-game series while facing Kennedy (4-2, 2.13 ERA), who spent his first three seasons with New York. He ranks among the AL leaders in ERA and opponent batting average (.209).


The right-hander is looking to win three straight starts for the first time since September 2014 after giving up one run over 12 innings in his last two. He allowed four hits and struck out six over seven in Saturday's 7-0 win at Cleveland.


"It's hard to throw shutouts," Kennedy, who retired 14 in a row at one point, told MLB's official website. "You try to put up some zeros, but it's not easy. You don't really go out with that intent. You go out and try to get guys out one at a time."


Brian McCann is 5 for 16 with two home runs off Kennedy, who hasn't faced New York since August 2013. Starlin Castro is 1 for 10 in the matchup since 2013, while Carlos Beltran's only two hits in 10 at-bats since 2012 were homers.


Beltran is one home run shy of 400 for his career after going 6 for 13 with three solo shots and two doubles over the first three games of this series.


New York's Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 4.78) hopes to build on Saturday's performance when he limited Boston to two runs over eight innings in an 8-2 home win. He threw 77 of his 107 pitches for strikes and topped 100 mph five times.


"When I'm able to locate (my fastball) inside and outside and do that, I feel like I'm able to get a lot more quicker outs," the right-hander said.


Eovaldi was solid in his only meeting with the Royals, allowing one run over seven innings in a 14-1 home win May 25.

Preview: Tigers (15-18) at Orioles (20-12)


Game: 1
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 12, 2016 7:05 PM EDT


The Baltimore Orioles have used the long ball to pace their current winning stretch.


That might not bode well for a Detroit Tigers' staff that's had some trouble keeping the ball in the park of late.


The Orioles look to continue their power surge while trying for a fifth straight victory Thursday night against the visiting Tigers.


Leading the AL with 49 home runs, Baltimore (20-12) belted 12 in the last three games. Mark Trumbo homered twice and Chris Davis hit his ninth as the Orioles went deep four times in Wednesday's 9-2 victory at Minnesota.


Baltimore, which owns a 30-10 run advantage in the last four games, has a chance to join the 1964 Twins as the only teams to hit back-to-back home runs in four consecutive contests.


'We obviously have a lot of power in our lineup,' said Davis, who went 7 for 10 the past two games. 'I think guys have really had good at-bats these last couple of days, not just going up there hacking, but looking for a pitch to drive and haven't been missing them.'


Trumbo is 7 for 18 in four games and has homered three times over the last three.


'I think the last couple games have been really strong and kind of what we're hoping for,' said Trumbo, who leads the team with 11 homers.


The Orioles hope that continues against Detroit (15-18), which has given up 15 home runs in the last seven games.


Struggling right-hander Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 6.23 ERA) gave up three homers that were responsible for all but one of the five runs he allowed in five-plus innings of a 10-5 loss to Texas on Saturday, though he didn't receive a decision. Fighting to remain in the rotation, Pelfrey has yielded five runs in each of his last three outings.


He has surrendered six home runs after serving up 11 over 30 starts for Minnesota last season.


"It's not what I wanted," Pelfrey told MLB's official website. "I feel terrible. I know that I'm better than this.


"It's kind of a (bad) stretch to go through. It's not what I want to do, and it's not what I want to do for these guys, or how I envisioned starting off. I know that I'm better than this, and I just gotta find it."


Trumbo is 5 for 10 and the only Oriole to homer off Pelfrey, who is 2-0 with a 4.43 ERA in four starts against Baltimore. Adam Jones is 6 for 12 against him.


Baltimore's Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3, 4.54) looks to build on a solid outing from Saturday when he gave up two runs in eight innings of a 5-2 win over Oakland. Perhaps most importantly, the right-hander walked one after issuing 15 over the previous four starts.


"I always try to stay away from the walks," he said. "The walks hurt. Every time I walk a guy, it seems like they find a way to score."


Jimenez walked only one in 9 1/3 innings in two starts against Detroit last season, but he allowed 13 runs and 13 hits to lose both.


J.D. Martinez, Victor Martinez and Jose Iglesias all homered off Jimenez in 2015. Miguel Cabrera did not face him last season, but is a lifetime .349 hitter against Jimenez.


Iglesias and J.D. Martinez homered Wednesday, but Washington's Max Scherzer matched a major league record by striking out 20 as the Tigers fell for the eighth time in nine games, 3-2.

Preview: Phillies (19-15) at Braves (8-24)


Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 12, 2016 7:10 PM EDT


Now that their lengthy home skid is in the past, the Atlanta Braves can focus on helping Aaron Blair earn his first career victory.


The Braves take just their second crack of 2016 at winning back-to-back home games Thursday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.


Emergency starter Williams Perez allowed one run and two hits over eight innings and Freddie Freeman homered for a second straight night to help Atlanta (8-24) snap its 11-game losing streak at Turner Field with Wednesday's 5-1 victory over Philadelphia.


"It's nice to finally get some hits and be on the winning side of things," said Freeman, who had three of the Braves' 10 hits.


Atlanta got its second win at home, where it scored more than three runs once during that extended skid. Its 1-16 start at Turner Field was the worst opening home stretch since the 1913 Yankees began 0-17-1.


Perez, who turns 25 later this month, was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before that contest after scheduled starter Jhoulys Chacin was dealt to the Los Angeles Angels for 23-year-old minor league pitcher Adam McCreery.


"We want to get younger," embattled Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB's official website. "I can't give you a specific schedule as to when those guys are going to be here. I've always been a big believer that they will let us know (when they're ready)."


Blair (0-2, 3.31 ERA) hasn't been bad over his first three career starts, but has received two runs of support while on the mound. He didn't get any while allowing three runs, five hits and walking four in five innings of a 7-2 loss to Arizona on Friday.


Then again, Blair wasn't pleased with his contribution.


'Falling behind, leaving pitches up is not a good combination to have,' the right-hander said.


He faces a Phillies club that is trying to finish .500 on this 10-game trip. After pounding out 19 hits in the previous two games, Philadelphia (19-15) managed four Wednesday, highlighted by Ryan Howard's eighth home run.


That is Howard's only hit in 12 at-bats over six games.


Teammate Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.17) looks to bounce back after allowing all four of his runs in the first two innings Friday, then pitching well over the next four as the Phillies pulled even before losing 6-4 at Miami.


'I take full responsibility," Velasquez said of the outcome. "Allowing four runs on the board, so you have to figure something out, you have to change, and do whatever you have to do to prevent that."


The emotional right-hander showed his displeasure by slamming his glove down in the dugout.


'There's a lot of things you could do to get your stress out, but yeah, I could say that's probably one of them,' Velasquez said. 'It's not my worst, though.'


He hopes to remain calm in his first appearance against the Braves.


Batting .423 in 14 games, Freeman has homered three times in the last four. He's hit .419 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in his last 16 contests against Philadelphia.

Preview: Astros (14-21) at Red Sox (21-13)


Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 12, 2016 7:10 PM EDT


There was hardly anything separating David Price and Dallas Keuchel last season, but in the end it was the Houston Astros left-hander who wound up beating out Price for the AL Cy Young Award.


It already seems unlikely either will find his name on any 2016 ballots.


What looked like a marquee matchup a month ago now features a pair of pitchers hoping to figure out what's gone wrong Thursday night at Fenway Park, where Price will test out a mechanical adjustment as he tries to lead the Boston Red Sox to a fifth straight win.


Keuchel went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA last season with Houston (14-21) and Price was 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA between Detroit and Toronto before signing a seven-year, $217 million deal with Boston (21-13). Keuchel wound up taking home the hardware as the AL's top pitcher, getting 22 first-place votes while Price got the other eight.


Now the argument is which one has been more disappointing. Given the contract and the expectations the answer so far is probably Price, whose 6.75 ERA is tied for baseball's worst despite Boston's relentless offense gifting him a 4-1 record.


"I'm mentally strong," Price told MLB's official website after allowing six runs over 4 2/3 innings Saturday in an 8-2 loss to the Yankees. "I'm not going to harp on these seven starts or my last start. I'm going to go out there on Thursday and be ready to get after the Astros."


It might wind up being one of the Red Sox's most prolific hitters who gets the lefty pointed in the right direction. After Price's last start, Dustin Pedroia told Price that his leg lift and hand positioning are different than they've been in the past.


Pitching coach Carl Willis didn't seem to mind Pedroia doing his job for him.


"We hadn't connected it to the hands," Willis said. "We felt the foot was getting out from underneath him, and he was not really getting a good load. That's still part of the equation, but in connecting the hands with it, it allows it to all stay in a better loaded position."


Mechanics aside, Price's ERA is due an adjustment. His fielding-independent pitching of 2.85 is sixth in the AL and he's striking out 11.54 batters per nine innings. His .383 batting average on balls in play against is 102nd out of 103 qualified starters.


Price is 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA in five starts against Houston since 2013, and he'll head into this outing with the AL's highest run-support average (8.49).


He shouldn't expect that to change. The Red Sox pounded out 48 hits and scored 40 runs in a three-game sweep of the A's at Fenway, capped with Wednesday's 13-3 win that featured two homers from Jackie Bradley Jr.


'The lineup, up and down, it's a relentless group and they're not giving at-bats away,' manager John Farrell said. 'We're in a stretch right now where we're driving the baseball.'


Bradley drove in six for the second time in the series and extended his hitting streak to 17 games, one off Eric Hosmer's for the longest in baseball this season.


He's 0 for 3 against Keuchel (2-4, 4.70 ERA), who gave up three runs over seven innings at Fenway on Aug. 15, 2014, in his only start against the Red Sox.


Keuchel's BABIP is .346 after his .269 mark was ninth in the majors last season, so perhaps he's also due some better luck. He's looking forward to a matchup against the pitcher he befriended at the 2015 All-Star game.


"It will be fun," Keuchel said. "Going into his park and facing him is going to be pretty fun and they're hitting the ball well, so I've got my hands full."


The Astros would love a lengthy outing from their ace. They used eight pitchers in Wednesday's 5-3, 16-inning win over Cleveland to wrap up a 6-4 homestand.

Preview: Padres (15-20) at Brewers (14-20)


Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 12, 2016 8:10 PM EDT


James Shields has a long list of things that went wrong in his last start, but manager Andy Green says he doesn't want the right-hander to change anything.


Even though his ERA is below his career average, Shields has struggled to pick up victories for the San Diego Padres thanks in part to a low run-support average.


The visiting Padres hope to change that as they chase a season-high third straight win Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers.


Shields (1-5, 3.60 ERA) has five quality starts in his seven outings, but he surrendered four runs, five walks and two homers - including one by 42-year-old pitcher Bartolo Colon - in Saturday's 6-3 home loss to the New York Mets.


"I just couldn't find the strike zone,' Shields told the league's official website. "I was inconsistent with my fastball and I was not making my pitches in the early innings. ... My delivery was kind of all over."


"It was my rhythm,' he added. "But sometimes you are going to have those games."


Shields' ERA isn't far off from his 3.74 career mark and he had given up four home runs heading into Saturday after allowing a MLB-high 33 in 2015. However, he's been hurt by a 2.00 run-support average that ranks near the bottom of the league.


"I don't think he needs to fix anything at all,' Green insisted. "You look up and he has a 3.60 ERA. It falls right into line with his career norms and he's been a winning pitcher his entire career. I don't read too much into that; just kind of how it has played out so far. He's going to be a winner before it is all said and done; he already is.'


Shields has never faced Milwaukee as he spent his first nine seasons in the AL, but Aaron Hill has batted .286 with four home runs in 42 career at-bats against him.


The Brewers (14-20) hope to avoid their sixth loss in nine games as they open a seven-game homestand. Ryan Braun had three hits and Jonathan Lucroy added two Wednesday, but the rest of the team went 3 for 25 in a 3-2 loss at Miami.


'We never got into a good count to hit,' manager Craig Counsell said.


Braun, though, is having an outstanding May with 20 hits in 43 at-bats over 10 games. The slugger is batting .379 in his last 19 at home versus San Diego (15-20).


Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson (4-2, 3.74) hopes to rebound after giving up a season-high six runs over five innings in Saturday's 13-7, 10-inning victory at Cincinnati. The right-hander had gone 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA over his previous five starts.


Nelson has pitched well over his last 12 starts at Miller Park, going 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA. In his only career home meeting with the Padres, he surrendered one unearned run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-1 win in August.


Brett Wallace's go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning Wednesday keyed San Diego's 7-4 win in the opener at Wrigley Field before Christian Bethancourt's solo shot was the difference in a 1-0 victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader.


The Padres dropped five of the seven meetings with the Brewers last season.

Preview: Giants (18-18) at Diamondbacks (17-19)


Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: May 12, 2016 9:40 PM EDT


The Arizona Diamondbacks have had their way with the San Francisco Giants of late. That's been the case for Zack Greinke in his entire career.


In a matchup pitting two of the biggest free-agent acquisitions of the offseason, Greinke looks to remain undefeated against the Giants on Thursday night opposite Johnny Cueto in the opener of a four-game series in Arizona.


Greinke outdueled Madison Bumgarner in San Francisco on April 20 by allowing one run and striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 win, his first with Arizona. He improved to 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 starts against the Giants, one of three teams he has never lost to.


The right-hander gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings in his next outing but got the win as Arizona scored nine times in the sixth to beat St. Louis 12-7 on April 25.


He was much better in his following two starts, allowing four runs and striking out 16 over 13 innings. Greinke (3-2, 5.15 ERA) lasted six innings Friday in a 7-2 win at Atlanta that ended the Diamondbacks' six-game slide.


"Just have to make good starts, probably especially in that situation," Greinke told MLB's official website. "It's probably more important than if you're in a five-game winning streak. Your main job is just to pitch good all year."


Greinke's strong outing was the beginning of a five-game win streak for the Diamondbacks that came to an end Wednesday with an 8-7 loss at Colorado. They went 5-4 on their trip but are 5-12 in Arizona.


"Now it's time to go home and defend our home field, and that's another chapter that we have to open up," manager Chip Hale said.


Arizona (17-19) swept that four-game set in San Francisco last month and has won seven of the past eight meetings. The Diamondbacks handed Cueto (4-1, 3.02) his first loss with the Giants (18-18) in the finale, which featured a benches-clearing incident.


Both teams received warnings in the eighth inning after San Francisco's Josh Osich hit David Peralta with a pitch for the second straight day. Peralta walked toward the mound as the benches cleared.


Arizona's Jake Lamb went 7 for 15 with a homer, triple and four doubles during the sweep.


Cueto allowed three runs in seven innings of the 6-2 loss April 21 to drop to 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA in nine starts against Arizona. He went the distance and struck out 11 to beat San Diego 1-0 in his next start, then gave up six runs over five at Cincinnati before the Giants rallied for a 9-6 victory.


The right-hander was stellar again Saturday, pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings of a 2-1 win in 13 over the Rockies.


"I think you have to start with Cueto because their guy was really on," manager Bruce Bochy said. " ... So you need your guys to put up zeros, and what a game Johnny had."


The Giants avoided a four-game losing streak by beating Toronto 5-4 in 13 innings Wednesday on Buster Posey's bases-loaded walk. San Francisco was shut out twice and scored one run in the other contest during the three-game slide.


"It's a win," said Posey, who ended an 0-for-18 slump earlier in the game. "You get to the point about 4 1/2 hours in, does it really matter?"


Paul Goldschmidt is 5 for 12 with a homer when facing Cueto, the same numbers he's put up over the last three games. Denard Span is a career .306 hitter (11 for 36) against Greinke.

Preview: Cardinals (18-16) at Angels (13-20)


Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: May 12, 2016 10:05 PM EDT


Adam Wainwright's incremental improvement has been a welcome sign for the St. Louis Cardinals. The sky's the limit if he can end his early-inning headaches.


The right-hander will try to start strong and lead the visiting Cardinals to a three-game sweep over the offensively challenged Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.


After pitching in just seven games last season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, Wainwright (2-3, 6.30 ERA) may have been trying to find his previous All-Star form when he went 1-3 with a 7.16 ERA over his first five starts.


The two-time 20-game winner has been much better in his last two outings. He surrendered three runs over six innings in a 10-3 home win over Philadelphia on May 2 and three over 6 1/3 in Saturday's 6-4 victory over visiting Pittsburgh.


Wainwright, however, has been shaky early. He allowed two first-inning runs Saturday and has given up 11 runs over the first four innings in his last four starts.


"If there's that much of an extra gear, I need to be very conscious going into my next start of coming out with that gear, as opposed to how I'm going to get there after they push a couple across," he told MLB's official website. "That's a good (lesson) for me. That's something that now I know it's in there and I know how to get it."


Wainwright might not have to worry about starting slow against a Los Angeles team that is having trouble scoring no matter the inning. The club has totaled eight runs and hit .197 while dropping all five on this six-game homestand.


C.J. Cron's two-run homer accounted for the scoring in Wednesday's 5-2 loss. Los Angeles (13-20), which had four hits, hasn't lost six straight at home since June 2011.


Kole Calhoun is 3 for 17 with seven strikeouts over his last five games, while former St. Louis star Albert Pujols has gone 2 for 21 in his past six.


The lack of offense has spelled doom with a rotation that has an 8.24 ERA over the past 10 games. The club made a move to improve in that area Wednesday when it acquired Jhoulys Chacin from Atlanta for minor league left-hander Adam McCreery.


After allowing a season-high seven runs over five innings in an 8-5 loss at Milwaukee on May 2, Jered Weaver gave up one earned over six in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay. He had a season-high five strikeouts despite topping out at 83 mph.


"People can say what they want about (velocity), it doesn't matter. He still has that fight in him and he battles," Angels reliever Joe Smith said. "There are a lot of guys who if they were throwing what he was throwing, they wouldn't be here."


Weaver (3-1, 4.72) has gone 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in three starts against the Cardinals (18-16), though he hasn't faced them since 2013. Matt Holliday is 3 for 5 versus the right-hander, though Brandon Moss has gone 2 for 17 with seven strikeouts.


Stephen Piscotty, Yadier Molina and Randal Grichuk had two hits apiece Wednesday in the Cardinals' fifth win in seven games. Piscotty is 9 for 17 over his last four while Molina has gone 4 for 7 with two doubles in this series.


St. Louis has won nine of its last 12 on the road after an 0-3 start.

Preview: Mets (21-12) at Dodgers (17-17)


Game: 4
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 12, 2016 10:10 PM EDT


The New York Mets were able to beat Clayton Kershaw in last year's playoffs.


They've yet to do it in the regular season.


With Bartolo Colon looking for a third straight win, the Mets get another shot at the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace in Thursday night's series finale against at Chavez Ravine.


Kershaw (4-1, 2.04 ERA) struck out 11 but allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings of a 3-1 home loss to New York in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. Almost three months earlier, the left-hander, who avenged that defeat in Game 4, improved to 6-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.34 over nine regular-season starts against the Mets (21-12) when he fanned 11 during a three-hit 3-0 win at Citi Field on July 23.


Kershaw tossed a three-hitter and struck out 14 in a 1-0 win over San Diego on May 1. Six days later, despite yielding eight hits, he allowed two runs and fanned 10 over eight innings of a 6-2 victory at Toronto.


'He just locked in,' teammate Corey Seager said. 'You could see the demeanor change. He was, I guess you'd say, tired of not being himself so he went back out there and fought through.'


Second in the majors with 64 strikeouts while issuing only three walks, Kershaw has struck out at least 10 in four consecutive games for the first time in his stellar career.


"We get spoiled with what he can do," manager Dave Roberts told MLB's official website.


Colon (3-1, 2.82) is 0 for 2 with a strikeout against Kershaw, but the burly soon-to-be 43-year-old right-hander became the oldest major leaguer to hit his first home run Saturday at San Diego.


'Anytime I see a fastball I swing hard because I'm not a curveball hitter,' he said.


After New York's 4-3 victory Wednesday, manager Terry Collins was asked of Colon's chances of homering off Kershaw.


"About as good as yours."


Collins would rather Colon focus on maintaining his early success that continued while allowing only a three-run homer over 6 2/3 innings of that 6-3 victory over the Padres.


"He has lost some (velocity), but he is still doing it," San Diego's Melvin Upton Jr. said.


Colon, who posted a 4.50 ERA in three relief appearances against the Dodgers (17-17) in the playoffs, allowed a solo home run over eight innings opposite Kershaw in that July defeat.


Teammate Noah Syndergaard also showed off his pop when he became the second pitcher in Mets history to hit two homers in one game Wednesday.


"I go out and focus on what I have to do on the mound and anything extra is great," said Syndergaard, who lasted eight innings and was responsible for all New York's runs.


New York has won two of the first three in a series that's featured 18 total runs as the last two have been decided by one apiece.


Yoenis Cespedes is batting .345 in his last eight games but is 1 for 9 overall against Kershaw.


Including the postseason, Adrian Gonzalez is 12 for 25 with three home runs and two doubles against Colon. Chase Utley is 7 for 17 with two doubles when facing him. However, Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig are a combined 0 for 16.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, May 12, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews


I'm sure by now you have seen the best highlight of the season in baseball. And of course that was the first career home run of pudgy Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon on Saturday in San Diego. At 42, the career .092 hitter became the oldest player in history to hit his first career homer. And it took him forever to get around the bases. Watching that and hearing the Mets' game call were absolutely hysterical, and I'm not even a Mets fan. I highly recommend you YouTube that and the Spanish-language call of the moment. ESPN's excellent writer David Schoenfield of the SweetSpot baseball blog ranked it as the most unlikely homer in big-league history. Tough to disagree.


It was so great that Topps commemorated the homer with a limited-edition $9.99 card that was on sale for just 24 hours. The company sold an incredible 8,826 of them, a record. But If Colon homers on Thursday off three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, the world is going to end.




Tigers at Orioles (-160, 9)


If this isn't the highest-scoring game of Thursday, I'll be surprised (and it does have the top total). That's because I trust neither pitcher. Detroit's Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 6.23) is on the short list of worst starters in the American League and I don't know how much longer the team can trot him out there. Pelfrey has allowed five earned runs in each of his past three outings, spanning 15.2 innings. The Tigers gave this guy a $16 million contract this offseason? He hasn't won in his past 14 starts dating to Aug. 12, 2015 (with Minnesota), and has one victory since early last June. It's not like he hasn't been out there. The Orioles' Mark Trumbo is 5-for-10 off him with a homer. Chris Davis has two doubles in six at-bats. Adam Jones is 6-for-12. It's Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3, 4.54) for the Orioles. He's always capable of allowing a crooked number. And last year, he was 0-2 with a 12.54 ERA in two starts against Detroit. The Tigers hit four homers off him in 9.1 innings. Victor Martinez is 9-for-29 vs. Jimenez with four homers and 11 RBIs. Justin Upton has two homers and eight RBIs in 25 at-bats.


Key trends: The Orioles are 7-1 in their past eight Thursday games. The Tigers are 2-7 in their past nine in Game 1 of a series. The "over/under" is 5-1-1 in the past seven meetings in Baltimore.


Early lean: Orioles and over.


Astros at Red Sox (-140, 8.5)


Here you have the 2015 AL Cy Young winner in Dallas Keuchel and the runner-up in David Price, but both lefties look nothing like Cy Young candidates this season. The Astros have lost four straight starts by Keuchel (2-4, 4.70) and two straight at home, where he hadn't previously personally lost before that since Aug. 10, 2014. Keuchel did throw a quality start last time out, however, allowing two runs over seven innings vs. Seattle. He didn't face Boston in 2015. David Ortiz is 2-for-3 off him with an RBI. Brock Holt is 2-for-5 with an RBI. Price (4-1, 6.75) looks totally messed up as his velocity is down a few mph on his fastball. He has allowed at least six earned runs in three starts already, including the past two. His 6.75 ERA ranks last among 56 American League pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched. Supposedly Price has corrected a mechanical glitch since that last start. Price allowed two earned over 6.2 innings in his lone 2015 start vs. Houston. Colby Rasmus is 5-for-28 off him with eight strikeouts. George Springer is 2-for-10 with a homer.


Key trends: The Astros are 1-7 in their past eight against lefties and 1-6 in their past seven series openers. The Red Sox are 4-1 in their past five vs. the AL West. The over is 4-0 in Price's past four.


Early lean: Red Sox -- I'll believe Price for now -- and under.


Phillies at Braves (+100, 7)


This could be one of the better pitching rivalries in the NL East in a year or two once these teams both get good again -- and they should both be contending by 2018. For the Phillies, it's 23-year-old ace Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.17). He had a rare non-quality start last time out, allowing four runs and seven hits over six innings at the Marlins. It was his first start this season with a no-decision. Velasquez has never faced Atlanta. It's 23-year-old Braves top pitching prospect Aaron Blair (0-2, 3.31). The rookie hasn't allowed more than three earned in his first three career starts but Atlanta has scored a total of five runs in those. Blair needs to cut down on the walks a bit as he has nine in 16.1 innings, but he hasn't allowed a homer yet.


Key trends: The Phillies are 6-17 in their past 23 Thursday games. The Braves are 8-25 in their past 23 in Game 3 of a series. The under is 4-1 in each team's past five on Thursday.


Early lean: Phillies and under.


Cardinals at Angels (+120, 8)


The Halos officially put shortstop Andrelton Simmons on the DL and he's going to be out until July following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. Now the team's every-day shortstop is likely to be light-hitting Cliff Pennington, who hasn't been a full-time player in four years. The Angels also acquired shortstop Brendan Ryan in trade from Washington -- Ryan can't hit at all either but is at least a good fielder. This team is done with all the injuries. The Halos start one of their few healthy pitchers in Jered Weaver (3-1, 4.72). He has been very hit or miss thus far but was good Saturday against Tampa Bay, allowing one earned and six hits over six innings. A handful of Cardinals have faced him. Matt Holliday is 3-for-5 with two walks. Brandon Moss is 2-for-17 with seven strikeouts. The Cardinals, who add the DH for the series, go with Adam Wainwright. This was supposed to be Carlos Martinez, but he was pushed back to Saturday due to illness. Wainwright (2-3, 6.30) comes in off back-to-back quality starts vs. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Mike Trout is 1-for-4 with two RBIs off him. Albert Pujols is also 1-for-4. Pennington is 0-for-9.


Key trends: The Cardinals are 7-3 in Wainwright's past 10 road starts. The Angels are 2-5 in Weaver's past seven interleague starts. The over is 5-1 in Wainwright's past six. The under is 10-4 in Weaver's past 14 vs. the NL.


Early lean: Cardinals and over.


Mets at Dodgers (-210, 6.5)


If you are wondering, the only other active pitcher in MLB to homer after turning 35 like Colon did is Ryan Vogelsong. By the way, the Cubs' big free-agent addition, Jason Heyward, still hasn't homered this season! Colon (3-1, 2.82) also got the win in his last start, allowing three runs and six hits over 6.2 innings against the Padres. The Mets have won his past three starts. And if you are wondering: he's 0-for-2 lifetime against Kershaw. Adrian Gonzalez hits Colon well with a .458 average and two homers in 24 at-bats. Chase Utley is 7-for-17 with two doubles. Kershaw (4-1, 2.04) brings a streak of four straight starts with at least 10 strikeouts. He held the Blue Jays to two runs over seven innings in his last start. Kershaw's 1.34 regular-season ERA against the Mets (nine starts) is his best among any club he has faced at least three times. Lucas Duda is 1-for-10 off him with seven strikeouts. David Wright is 3-for-14 with four walks.


Key trends: The Mets are 1-6 in Colon's past seven vs. teams with a winning record. The Dodgers are 8-1 in Kershaw's past nine Thursday starts. The over is 9-2 in Colon's past 11 road starts. The under is 10-4 in Kershaw's past 14 at home.


Early lean: Dodgers and under.

MLB


Thursday's games


National League games


Phillies @ Braves
Velasquez is 2-0, 3.50 in his last three starts (under 3-2-1).


Blair is 0-2, 3.86 in three starts (under 2-1).


Phillies are 10-5 in last 15 games; under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games. Atlanta lost five of its last six games; they're 2-16 at home; under is 5-2-1 in its last eight games.


Padres @ Brewers
Shields is 1-3, 3.24 in his last four starts; five of his seven starts stayed under.


Nelson is 1-1, 5.71 in his last three starts; four of his last five starts went over.


Milwaukee won three of last five games; over is 9-3-3 in their last 15 overall. Padres are 8-5 in last 13 games; they swept a DH at Wrigley yesterday. Under is 9-4 in their last 14 road games.


Giants @ Diamondbacks
Cueto is .2-1, 2.45 in his last five starts (under 3-3-1).


Greinke is 3-0, 3.74 in his last five starts; four of his last six starts stayed under.


Giants lost three of last four games; over is 9-2-1 in their last 12 road games. Arizona won five of its last six games; its last four home games stayed under.


Mets @ Dodgers
Colon is 2-0, 2.75 in his last three starts (over 3-0 in road starts). .


Kershaw is 2-1, 2.32 in his last four starts (over 4-3).


New York won 10 of last 14 road games; four of last six road games went under total. Dodgers lost eight of last ten at home; under is 11-4-1 in LA home games.




American League games


Royals @ Bronx
Kennedy is 2-0, 0.75 in his last two starts (under 5-0-1).


Eovaldi is 2-0, 3.60 n his last three starts (over 3-3).


New York won six of last nine home games; four of its last five games went over the total. Royals lost 11 of their last 14 road games; seven of their last eight games went over the total.


Tigers @ Orioles
Pelfrey is 0-2, 8.02 in his last three starts (over 3-3)


Jimenez is 1-2, 4.94 in his last four starts; five of his six starts stayed under.


Detroit lost eight of last nine games; four of its last five games went over. Orioles won six of last eight games; under is 11-6-1 in their home games.


Astros @ Red Sox
Keuchel is 0-3, 6.94 in his last four starts (over 3-1 road starts).


Price is 2-1, 8.49 in his last four starts; six of his seven starts went over.


Astros won six of their last nine games; under is 3-0-2 in their last five games. Boston won 15 of its last 19 games; seven of its last ten home games went over.




Interleague


Cardinals @ Angels
Wainwright is 2-2, 6.21 in his last five starts; five of his last six went over.


Weaver is 2-0, 3.50 in three home starts (over 3-3).


St Louis is 6-3 in its last nine games; six of its last eight road games went over total. Angels lost nine of last 11 games; under is 10-3 in their last 13 home games.




Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:


Phil-Atl-- Velasquez 4-2; Blair 0-3
SD-Mil-- Shields 1-6; Nelson 5-2
SF-Az-- Cueto 6-1; Greinke 4-3
NY-LA-- Colon 4-2; Kershaw 6-1


KC-NY-- Kennedy 4-2; Eovaldi 3-3
Det-Balt-- Pelfrey 1-5; Jimenez 3-3
Hst-Bos-- Keuchel 2-5; Price 4-3


StL-LAA-- Wainwright 4-3; Weaver 3-3




Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:


Phil-Atl-- Velasquez 2-6; Blair 1-3
SD-Mil-- Shields 2-7; Nelson 3-7
SF-Az-- Cueto 2-7; Greinke 1-7
NY-LA-- Colon 1-6; Kershaw 1-7


KC-NY-- Kennedy 1-6; Eovaldi 1-6
Det-Balt-- Pelfrey 5-6; Jimenez 1-6
Hst-Bos-- Keuchel 2-7; Price 3-7


StL-LAA-- Wainwright 3-7; Weaver 2-6

StatFox Super Situations


MLB | ST LOUIS at LA ANGELS
Play On - Home teams (LA ANGELS) with an excellent bullpen whose ERA is 3.00 or better on the season against opponent with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 2.70 or better on the season (NL)
212-135 since 1997. ( 61.1% | 72.3 units )
2-3 this year. ( 40.0% | -2.2 units )




StatFox Situational Power Trends


MLB | PHILADELPHIA at ATLANTA
PHILADELPHIA is 8-2 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in Road games against division opponents this season.
The average score was: PHILADELPHIA (3.5) , OPPONENT (2.8)

GAME: Detroit Tigers (15-18) at Baltimore Orioles (20-12)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Detroit Tigers are losers of eight of their last nine games and came down on the wrong side of history Wednesday, when former ace Max Scherzer of Washington struck out 20 batters in a 3-2 setback. The Tigers will try to put that behind them quickly when they make the short trip up the beltway to begin a four-game series against the host Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

Detroit was facing Scherzer for the first time since he left the Motor City via free agency following the 2014 season and had no answer for him, with every player in the lineup except for Victor Martinez striking out at least once as the right-hander tied the major-league record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning game. The Tigers suffered a pair of one-run losses at Washington and the pitching staff is allowing an average of 6.1 runs in the last nine games. Detroit’s pitchers will get a stiffer test against the Orioles, who have put up 30 runs during a four-game winning streak. Baltimore hit back-to-back home runs in three straight games and the middle of the order – Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo – combined to go 10-for-15 with four blasts in Wednesday’s 9-2 win at Minnesota.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 6.23 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (2-3, 4.54)

Pelfrey was lit up for five earned runs for the third straight start as he failed to get past the fifth inning against Texas on Saturday. The Wichita State product surrendered three home runs in that outing – matching his total from his first five turns – and failed to make it through six frames for the fourth time in six starts. Pelfrey is 2-0 with a 4.43 ERA in four career outings versus Baltimore

Jimenez snapped a four-start winless streak by holding Oakland to two runs on nine hits and a walk in eight innings. The Venezuelan issued a total of one walk in his two wins but handed out 15 free passes over 20 2/3 frames in his other four outings. Jimenez has plenty of experience against the Tigers, posting a 5-11 record with a 5.60 ERA in 19 career starts, and struggles against sluggers Miguel Cabrera (15-for-43) and Martinez (9-for-29).

WALK-OFFS

1. Trumbo has recorded five extra-base hits - three home runs - in his last three games.

2. Detroit recalled LHP Daniel Norris from Triple-A Toledo to bolster the bullpen.

3. Baltimore SS/3B Manny Machado has recorded eight multi-hit performances in his last 12 contests.

PREDICTION: Orioles 8, Tigers 4

GAME: Kansas City Royals (16-17) at New York Yankees (13-19)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Kansas City Royals have been in a tailspin since winning 12 of their first 18 games but they can still salvage a split of a four-game series against the host New York Yankees on Thursday night. The reigning World Series champions ended a three-game skid with a 7-3 victory Wednesday -- only their fourth win in 15 games.

Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain followed up Tuesday's three-homer binge with a two-run single Wednesday, giving him seven RBIs in the series while stretching his hitting streak to six games (11-for-25). New York is 4-2 on its nine-game homestand and bidding to win back-to-back series for the first time this season. Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran is 6-for-13 with three homers in the series and has hit safely in 10 straight games against the team with which he started his career. Two pitchers coming off their best outings of the year will square off when Kansas City sends Ian Kennedy to the mound to oppose fellow right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Kansas City, YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Ian Kennedy (4-2, 2,13 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 4.78)

Kennedy, a former first-round pick of the Yankees who spent parts of his first three seasons in the Bronx, continued his superb start to the season with seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball in a victory at Cleveland on Saturday. It was the fifth time in six starts that Kennedy has surrendered two earned runs or fewer and also the fifth time he pitched at least six innings. Yankees catcher Brian McCann is 5-for-16 with a pair of home runs against Kennedy.

Eovaldi lit up the radar gun versus Boston on Saturday, reaching 100 mph on a number of occasions while limiting the Red Sox to two runs and six hits while striking out six over a season-high eight innings. It was a huge bounce-back performance after he was knocked around for six runs on 10 hits in a loss to Boston in his previous turn. Eovaldi won his lone career start versus Kansas City in 2015, giving up one run over seven innings in a 14-1 drubbing.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals C Salvador Perez halted a 14-game homer drought with a three-run blast Wednesday.

2. Yankees CF Aaron Hicks is 6-for-10 in the series while subbing for an injured Jacoby Ellsbury.

3. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer has hit safely in 27 of his last 29 games.

PREDICTION: Royals 6, Yankees 4

GAME: Houston Astros (14-21) at Boston Red Sox (21-13)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Boston Red Sox spent $217 million to make David Price the ace of the staff over the winter and so far are not seeing much of a return on their investment. Price will try to bounce back from another tough outing when the Red Sox host the Houston Astros in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday.

Price has gotten enough run support to come away with four wins, but his velocity has been down and he made some mechanical adjustments between starts that should help moving forward. "I'm mentally strong," Price told reporters. "I'm not going to harp on these seven starts or my last start. I'm going to go out there on Thursday and be ready to get after the Astros." Boston's offense certainly is capable of making up for a poor start as it pounded out 40 runs in a three-game sweep of Oakland that helped pull the Astros out of sole possession of last place in the American League West. Houston has won six of its last nine after a slow start and earned a series win over Cleveland when Marwin Gonzalez clubbed a two-run, walk-off homer in the 16th inning on Wednesday for a 5-3 victory.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Houston), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (2-4, 4.70 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (4-1, 6.75)

Keuchel has been nearly as disappointing as Price while trying to follow up his 2015 Cy Young Award-winning campaign. The 28-year-old was reached for 16 runs and 26 hits over 16 1/3 innings in three straight losses before yielding two runs in seven frames against Seattle in a no-decision on Saturday. Keuchel mowed through the AL last season but did not face Boston, against which he has allowed seven runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 career innings.

Price has been rocked for six runs in each of his last two starts and has surrendered at least five earned runs in four of his seven turns. Three of those poor outings came at home, where the Vanderbilt product has posted an 8.34 ERA in front of his new fans. Price has pitched well against Houston over his career, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.89 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros RF George Springer has drawn eight walks in his last three games.

2. Boston CF Jackie Bradley Jr. has hit safely in 17 straight games and is 8-for-14 with three homers and 13 RBIs in the last three contests.

3. Houston CF Carlos Gomez is 2-for-20 with 12 strikeouts in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Astros 3

GAME: Philadelphia Phillies (19-15) at Atlanta Braves (8-24)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

In a season where so much has gone wrong for the Braves, Atlanta enters Thursday’s home contest with Philadelphia following a night where plenty actually went right. The Braves got three hits from Freddie Freeman and eight innings of two-hit ball from starter Williams Perez to win just their second home game of the season pn Wednesday, a 5-1 victory, and can win their first series since sweeping the Marlins April 15-17 with a victory Thursday.

Since starting his season 2-for-25, Freeman is batting .348 with five homers in his past 23 games, and along with Perez – promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett after Atlanta traded scheduled starter Jhoulys Chacin to Anaheim earlier Wednesday – helped the Braves snap a five-game losing streak and an 11-game home skid. The Phillies can win their fifth series in six tries with a victory in the series finale, which would mark the first such streak since late in 2014. Philadelphia finished with just four hits in Wednesday’s loss, only the second time since April 16 the Phillies have been held to four hits or less. Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera hit a ninth-inning single after not reaching base in his first three at-bats Wednesday; Herrera has reached base safely in 30 of his 31 games this season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.17 ERA) vs. Braves RH Aaron Blair (0-2, 3.31)

Velasquez grabbed plenty of attention with his 16-strikeout performance April 14 against San Diego, but the 23-year-old has been pretty good in most of his six starts to open 2016. He got a no-decision Saturday at Miami after allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings, after giving up three runs or less in four of his first five starts. Acquired from Houston in the Ken Giles trade last offseason, Velasquez has struck out 102 in his first 93 major-league innings, dating back to 19 appearances with the Astros last season.

Blair struggled with his control in a 7-2 loss Saturday against Arizona, walking four in five innings, but gave up only three runs (two earned) in his third major-league start. The 23-year-old has impressed Atlanta since being summoned from the minor leagues, holding the powerful Cubs to two hits and one run in six innings in his second start after losing to the Mets in his debut April 24. The Braves have scored only five runs in Blair’s first three starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard hit his 51st career homer against the Braves in the fifth inning Wednesday, breaking up Perez's perfect game.

2. Atlanta starting pitchers have thrown seven innings or more in the past three games.

3. The Phillies bullpen has surrendered 14 earned runs in the past 44 2/3 innings since April 26 (15 games).

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Braves 1

GAME: San Diego Padres (15-20) at Milwaukee Brewers (14-20)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The San Diego Padres are fresh off a doubleheader sweep of the best in team in baseball and look to carry the momentum into Thursday's opener of a four-game series against the host Milwaukee Brewers. The Padres swept the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday and have won eight of their last 13 games after getting off to a dreadful 7-15 start.

Milwaukee is opening a seven-game homestand and hopes slugger Ryan Braun continues to swing a scalding bat. Braun is 21-for-47 with 10 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak and recorded three hits in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Miami for his seventh multi-hit performance during the torrid stretch. Christian Bethancourt registered two of San Diego's three hits in a 1-0 victory in Wednesday's nightcap and is 4-for-7 with two homers in his last two starts. Wil Myers is buried in a 4-for-34 funk over his last eight games but notched two hits and scored twice in the Padres' 7-4 triumph in the doubleheader opener.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH James Shields (1-5, 3.60 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (4-2, 3.74)

Shields lost to the New York Mets in his last outing, when he gave up four runs and five hits in six innings. He served up two homers - one to pitcher Bartolo Colon - after not allowing one in 19 innings over his previous three starts. Shields never has faced the Brewers but has seen quite a bit of Aaron Hill, who is batting .286 with four homers and three doubles in 42 at-bats against him.

Nelson struggled in a no-decision against Cincinnati in his last turn as he gave up six runs (five earned) and eight hits in five innings. He yielded two or fewer earned runs in five of his first six starts before struggling against the Reds. Nelson is 1-1 with a 1.54 ERA in two career starts versus San Diego and has experienced difficulties with Matt Kemp (3-for-8).

WALK-OFFS

1. Braun is batting .312 with 11 homers in 51 career games versus the Padres.

2. Milwaukee RF Domingo Santana (shoulder) started Wednesday for the first time since May 3 and went 1-for-3 with a walk.

3. Kemp is just 3-for-27 over his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Brewers 8, Padres 6

GAME: San Francisco Giants (18-18) at Arizona Diamondbacks (17-19)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 9:40 PM EST
WHERE: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

After having their five-game winning streak halted Wednesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks are well positioned to start another one when they send Zack Greinke to the mound Thursday for the opener of a four-game set against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Arizona swept a four-game series in San Francisco last month.

Greinke earned his first victory of the season against the Giants on April 20 to improve to 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 career starts against them. Seven of those wins came in a span of eight starts over the previous two seasons when Greinke was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco right-hander Johnny Cueto, like Greinke a marquee offseason signing, suffered his only loss versus the Diamondbacks but takes a 6-2 lifetime mark against them into Thursday's start. The Giants had scored one run during a three-game skid before beating Toronto 5-4 on a bases-loaded walk in the 13th inning Wednesday.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (4-1, 3.02 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (3-2, 5.15)

Cueto rebounded from a shellacking in Cincinnati with a stellar outing versus Colorado on Saturday, although he had to settle for a no-decision despite 8 1/3 innings of scoreless ball. Cueto has pitched at least seven innings in six of his seven starts while not allowing more than two walks and permitting a total of two home runs. Two of the Diamondbacks' top hitters, Jean Segura and Welington Castillo, are a combined 7-for-36 with zero extra-base hits versus Cueto.

Greinke lost his first two outings of the season but has registered a quality start in four of his last five turns after limiting Atlanta to two runs and seven hits while striking out eight over six innings. The 32-year-old Greinke did not factor in the decision in his previous start despite seven innings of two-run ball versus Colorado. Greinke has held San Francisco to a .221 batting average against, although center fielder Denard Span (11-for-36) has enjoyed success against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks LF Yasmany Tomas went 6-for-8 in the last two games versus Colorado after sitting out four games with an ailing neck.

2. Giants C Buster Posey, who drew the game-winning walk Wednesday, is 1-for-24 in his last six games.

3. Diamondbacks 2B Jean Segura owns a nine-game hitting streak and a career-best 18-game on-base string.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 4, Giants 2

GAME: St. Louis Cardinals (18-16) at Los Angeles Angels (13-20)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 10:05 PM EST
WHERE: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The St. Louis Cardinals attempt to complete a sweep on the first leg of their trek through Southern California when they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday for the finale of their three-game series. St. Louis, which concludes its six-game trip with three contests against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, erupted for 13 runs in the first two games of the set while allowing only three.

Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday has not officially broken out of his slump yet, as he followed a 3-for-5 effort Tuesday by going hitless in four at-bats one night later. The Angels look to avoid going winless on their six-game homestand after being swept of a three-game series by Tampa Bay last weekend. The club, which has dropped seven of its last eight contests overall, has scored fewer than three runs in each game during its slide. Mike Trout went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's loss, marking only the second time in the last nine games — and ninth time in 32 contests this season — he failed to register a hit.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (2-3, 6.30 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (3-1, 4.72)

Wainwright seeks his third win in four starts after a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Saturday in which he gave up three runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. It was the longest of seven outings this season for the 34-year-old Georgia native, who has yet to allow fewer than three runs. Wainwright settled for a no-decision on July 4, 2013 in his only career start against Los Angeles after yielding four runs and seven hits in eight frames.

Weaver also is coming off a no-decision despite limiting Tampa Bay to two runs — one earned — and six hits over six innings Saturday. The 33-year-old Californian bounced back nicely from a rough outing at Milwaukee on May 2, when he was tagged for seven runs and 11 hits in five frames. Weaver has made three career starts against St. Louis, going 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Angels acquired RHP Jhoulys Chacin from Atlanta for LHP Adam McCreery and expect him to start against Seattle on Saturday.

2. St. Louis RHP Carlos Martinez (illness) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and is expected to make his scheduled start on Saturday.

3. Los Angeles rookie 1B Ji-Man Choi, who was selected from Baltimore's roster in the Rule 5 Draft, was designated for assignment after going 1-for-18 with six walks in 14 games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Angels 3

GAME: New York Mets (21-12) at Los Angeles Dodgers (17-17)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 12 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has lost just once to the New York Mets — that coming during last season's postseason. The left-hander is 6-0 in nine regular-season outings against the Mets and aims to record another victory when the Dodgers close a four-game set with visiting New York on Thursday.

Kershaw went 1-1 in last season's National League Division Series against the Mets and gave up just seven hits in 13 2/3 innings. He has limited New York batters to a .196 average while compiling a 1.34 ERA during the regular-season outings. The Mets won two of the first three games of the series and Wednesday's 4-3 victory featured two homers and four RBIs from winning pitcher Noah Syndergaard as he joined Walt Terrell (1983 versus the Chicago Cubs) as the only pitchers in franchise history to hit two homers in a game. Los Angeles is just 6-10 at home but is tied for first place in the National League West despite a .500 overall record.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (3-1, 2.82 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 2.04)

The 42-year-old Colon defeated San Diego in his last start — he gave up three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings — but his pitching efforts were topped by the first home run of his 20-year career. He has won three consecutive decisions and the best performance was shutting out Atlanta for eight innings May 2. Colon is 2-5 with a 5.16 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers and has dominated Howie Kendrick (2-for-22) while struggling with left-handed hitters Adrian Gonzalez (11-for-24, two homers) and Chase Utley (7-for-17).

Kershaw has struck out 10 or more batters in four consecutive outings, topped by a season-high 14 while shutting out San Diego on May 1. He has given up two or fewer runs in six of his seven starts, including a victory over Toronto in his last turn when he allowed two runs and eight hits in seven innings. Kershaw has dominated New York left-handed hitters Curtis Granderson, Lucas Duda — both 1-for-10 — and Neil Walker (1-for-9).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mets are 12-6 on the road and possess the second-best overall mark (21-12) in the National League.

2. New York's first two hitters in the lineup — Granderson and SS Asdrubal Cabrera — went a combined 0-for-10 with six strikeouts Wednesday.

3. Gonzalez had a double in the ninth inning Wednesday for his first extra-base hit in his last 17 games.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Mets 2

Tigers will try to rebound from being fanned 20x last night. Lost 8 of last 9 while O's have won 4 straight.